A True Father
by LightRayPearlshipper
Summary: Betrayed by the ones he thought were his friends, Ash Ketchum is forced into hiding. Read as he goes through the many hardships of becoming stronger and growing up. However, not everything is as grim as it seems. For there are still some left in the world who are loyal to him... Pairing undecided. It appears ffnet took out the survival category for stories.


**Me: Hello everyone. Welcome to a story whose name may be subject to change.**

**Ash: What?!**

**Red: ...**

**Ash: Hey, wait a minute. Who's this guy standing next to me?**

**Me: Oh, that's Red. He's a very important character in this story so don't hurt him. He's also your...**

**Ash: My what?**

**Me: Your- your... your clone! Yes! That's it! He's your clone and Nintendo put him in their video games.**

**Ash: *Raises eyebrow* uh-huh... Because I totally believe that.**

**Me: Drop it. We have more important things to deal with. Namely, giving the readers a little something to chew on as they read the chapter.**

**Ash: Food?!**

**Me: No, information. Listen up guys. Many of you have been unsatisfied with the betrayal stories already posted on this site. They all followed the simple pattern of a rushed betrayal scene after another league loss, usually the Sinnoh League, followed by a promise of revenge. Then, he would go to some mountain and supposedly train for years, do some stuff, train more, then get a tournament invitation to go to some major global tournament where he beats all the traitors and gets his revenge. There are many qualitative errors that they have. However this story, won't have those. The other stories also fail to narrate the exact events during Ash's training days. This story includes all that... and more.**

**Ash: What's the more?**

**Me: Oh, just the man who's one generation older than you that's standing right next to you.**

**Red: *Nods***

**Me: Anyway, I think that's enough. Without further adieu, let's begin! But you can do the disclaimer.**

**Ash: Fine. Michael doesn't own us or our pokemon or anything in this story aside from his ideas and stuff. I think that's all?**

**Me: Yup, now let's begin for real.**

* * *

Ashton Red Satoshi Ketchum trod down the streets of the quaint Town of pallet in Kanto, pondering about many subjects related to Pokemon. He thought about how he would train for the next few weeks, which region he would travel through next and many other matters. However, the main idea being pondered was his recent defeat to Tobias in the Sinnoh League.

In the Sinnoh League, Ash had made it to the Semi-finals, the best he had ever done. However, once there, he faced a trainer who possessed not one, but TWO, maybe more legendary pokemon. That trainer was Tobias. Tobias used a Darkrai and a Latios in his battle against Ash and he was the first one in the entire tournament to force the mysterious man to use the latter. It was Sceptile who defeated the dark-type tyrant of the tournament, but the green lizard quickly fell to the dragon who came next.

After that, it was Swellow who fell in an aerial battle. He put up a good fight throughout the whole battle, but it wasn't enough to face a legendary. In the end, even Pikachu could only tie, knocking himself out along with Latios giving Tobias a 6-2 win.

Ash was beginning to understand why he lost, but he still couldn't accept it. He was the only trainer in the tournament to be able to defeat Darkrai, let alone Latios. Even the finalist could barely land a scratch on the nightmare pokemon. If Tobias hadn't been there, it was heavily likely that Ash would be bringing home the trophy right now.

His current destination was his home - he had just gotten back from Sinnoh and had spent the last few days walking alone from Viridian City where the road split to Pewter City and Pallet Town. From Vermillion City, he was lucky to still have a friend travelling with him. Brock, the former Gym Leader of Pewter City and joined him on his journey years ago and had travelled everywhere with him sans-Orange Islands.

As he arrived with Pikachu on his shoulder at home, much chatter could be heard from inside.

"I wonder what all that noise is about, buddy," he told his best friend for years, Pikachu.

"Pika? Pikachu pika pi chu," the electric mouse responded.

"Well, there's only one way to find out," he said in response. "Let's go in." Will a newfound excitement, he turned the doorknob and entered his home to find many of his friends including Misty, Gary, Drew, and May sitting around a table on couches and chairs along with some of his rivals from the regions he had travelled through. His mom must've been in the kitchen cooking something up as smells of food had wafted into the room and up his nostrils.

"Hey guys!" Ash said, getting everyone's attention. Suddenly, all the talking stopped and the room became enveloped in a strange silence that lasted for a bit.

Finally, Misty said, "Hey... welcome back!"

"Hey Ashy-boy! Come have a seat," Gary said, indicating to an empty spot at what appeared to be the front of the line of seating. Ash sat down and the awkward silence came back.

"So..." he began, trying to start a conversation, "what's up?" He thought he saw Gary give Misty and May and glance with nods returning to him from the girls.

Gary stood up and slapped Ash across his cheek.

* * *

Delia was smiling as she cut beets into mince-thin slices, humming to a tune her husband used to sing to her. She carefully laid out all the slices and opened a packet of Goat Cheese, taking out a spoon to scoop the cheese out evenly onto the beets. A scoop the size of a thumb joint was placed on every other beet slice - they were laid out in rows of two.

Once half the beet slices had a scoop of cheese on them, she placed one slice on top of the other, creating sandwich-like foods. Severals plates were already laid out on the counter to her right. Each plate received two beet sandwiches and then Delia took out a rather large bowl of salad she had prepared earlier and filled the empty parts of the plates with the bowl's contents.

Still humming the same tune, she picked up three of the plates and began to carry them to the living room where all of her son's friends were waiting. However, as soon as she entered the room, a loud snap rang out and she froze.

In front of her was Gary Oak standing in front of her son who had his head turned and a red mark on his cheek. She could only guess what happened.

Dropping the dishes without a single care that broken pieces covered the floor with pieces of food, she charged forward and grabbed Gary by the shoulders.

"WHAT IN THE NAME OF ARCEUS DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DOING TO MY SON?!" And around her, she spotted many of the other people beginning to stand up and take out pokeballs. Then, Misty spoke.

"Your son is a disgrace to you," she said in a surprisingly pleasant tone. "The majority of us in this room that he should give up on his dream because he's not getting anywhere."

May spoke next, with a more malevolent tone. "He's tried four years in a row. Each attempt was a failure. He'll never become a Pokemon Master. And also, wasn't his most recent attempt the same number as the death number?"

"Why should that matter?" Delia retorted. "It's just superstition. And even if he did lose all his conferences, he did more that you ever did! Or maybe you forgot the Orange Islands incident. Wasn't he the one who saved the world? If it wasn't for my boy, you would all be dead!"

"And you!" She yelled, pointing a finger at May. "You wouldn't even have a pokemon if it wasn't for Ash's encouragement. He's done so many things for you all, yet this is how you repay him?!"

Delia felt a hand touch her shoulder. She turned around to see her son, Ash Ketchum.

"Mom, please stop. They're not worth the time," he said.

"But-"

"No buts. And also, I have to admit they are right in some way. I have been failing dramatically. That's why I've been thinking up for a new plan to train harder and find my potential so I can unlock it. In addition, this is my business." He turned to his friends. "Dawn, Brock and Max aren't here. Are they also in on this?"

May answered, "They... they're in on this."

"It doesn't seem like it. They would be here to support you."

"Well, they couldn't make it. They had other matters to attend," Gary responded.

"Maybe I should double-check that. I should be able to know for sure who my friends are and aren't, shouldn't I? Give me a second." He walked over to the house phone and dialed the familiar number of Dawn. The phone rang a couple of times before being received.

"Hello, Berlitz residence. Who is this?" It was a rather young voice that answered.

"Ash Ketchum. Hi Dawn." Over in Sinnoh, Dawn instantly turned on the video feed. In the screen, her beautiful face replaced the placeholder image that used to read "Video not available."

"Ash! Hi there. Is there anything you need?"

"Yeah. Just a question."

"Shoot."

"Do you support the... others? In their decision to try to convince me to give up."

She looked slightly confused. "What are you talking about? And who exactly are the others?"

Ash was slightly surprised at this. Apparently, Dawn didn't know about their plan. It appeared he would have to explain the whole situation.

"Well, Misty, May, Gary, Drew, and some of my other friends and rivals are trying to convince me to give up on my dream of becoming a Pokemon Master, saying that I... I suck and am a horrible trainer." As he explained, he began to feel a lump forming in his throat. "Gary slapped me and everyone else has their pokeballs out like they're gonna attack me."

"WHAT?! How could they do that? I thought they were your friends."

"I did to."

"Well, I'm still your friend. No need to worry. Everything will be fine. If they're like this, just find new friends. It should be pretty easy for someone like you."

"Thanks," Ash said, feeling a tiny bit of heat coming to his face. He cut the phone signal and turned back to his friends feeling an increasing heat, but for a different reason. In an instant, his expression turned from neutral to pure anger.

"You lied to me! You are all liars! You are all liars! You, worst of all," he said pointing a Gary, "You, my best friend since we were kids! Get OUT of this house! Now! I wanted to try and be civil with this, but lying was the last straw. If you won't leave, then I will." The people who he once considered friends stood there. Seeing that they weren't planning on leaving, he stormed out the door, not even realizing that he left his own mother to deal with traitors who were stronger than her and out-manned her. Pikachu quickly followed his friend and master as they began to head towards Professor Oak's lab.

He had barely touched the door when it was opened to reveal the old professor who grabbed Ash's hand and ran over to a computer. Pikachu had perched himself on Ash's shoulder on the way over, using Quick Attack to catch up.

"So it really did happen," Oak said. "I've been over-hearing things from my Grandson during the meetings that were held here. You need to go fast. They were prepared for this and there's gonna be destruction any minute now. Go to Mount Silver and train there. You'll meet someone there who can help you. I already collected your pokemon in preparation for this. I just need your Pokedex."

"Why do you need my Pokedex?" Ash asked in slight confusion and admittedly, some suspicion.

"Ash my boy, how are you going to carry all these pokemon around at the same time? I won't be able to store them for you. Therefore, I'm going to remove the limiter on the amount of pokemon you can carry at once. I just need to modify the programming on your pokedex. So hurry, we don't have much time. I also got Charizard from the Charicific Valley so you could escape if we weren't fast enough." The old man handed Ash a sack of pokeballs and took one out. "This one is Charizard's. Now give me your pokedex."

"Okay." Ash dug the little machine out of his pocket and handed it to the professor. It was quickly inserted into a slot on his computer and booted up a program. Within seconds, archives of data loaded on the screen. He quickly hit command-f and found the location of programming. His fingers jammed across the keyboard to fix things. In a minute or so, he hit enter and ejected the modified pokedex.

"I also gave access to information from other far away regions that you haven't visited," he said handing the device back to Ash. "Now go."

Ash quickly nodded and was about to leave until someone yelled out, "Freeze! Right where you are! Don't you dare move!" Ash whirled around to see all the traitors standing around his mother. May's Blaziken had a charged fist prepared to knock out Delia. "Surrender or she goes bye-bye."

Ash looked into his mother's eyes, seeing the desperation, the fear, but above all, the willpower and desire to live. And he slowly began to raise his hands in the air.

"No! Leave me! Just go!" Delia cried out. "You need to get-" She was interrupted by Misty hitting her. And Ash's glare shot up at the assailant. Then, he looked at his mother.

"Mom... forgive me." Like lightning, he turned and bolted out the back door of the lab, tossed Charizard's pokeball into the air, hopped on his back and flew away.

"We're going to Mount Silver, buddy. Top speed." Charizard nodded and blasted off into the distance.

* * *

**Me: And done! What did you guys think?**

**Ash: I... I can't believe it.**

**Me: That was just the first chapter. Don't worry though, it gets better from here. And it won't be as dark.**

**Ash: I hope so. That stuff is pretty scary.**

**Me: Yeah. However, it did feel a little rushed at the end. Tell me what you think. I'm gonna be leaving this story right here. I need to work on reloading Return of the Fortress General. And this time, I will actually be writing it instead of getting side-tracked. And I must thank you all for following me and supporting me. I know I haven't been good on updating, but I recently just got a huge surge of motivation for some unknown reason. I will be writing more often and I've decided to make that one of my New Years resolution. **

**Another thing I want to add is something to help me become more connected to my readers and community. I will hopefully be doing one question each chapter. So here it is:**

**If you are going to review, which I hope you will, what is your New Year's resolution? Please post your answer with your review.**

**That's all for now I think. Favorite if you liked this chapter, definitely follow and please review. Help me be a better writer. Because nothing is perfect, but we can still strive to be so. Thank you.**

**-Michael out**

**P.S. I'm thinking of doing a shipping for this story. I'm probably going to be posting a poll on which girl he should be matched with. If you have a suggestion, please PM me and I'll add it to the poll. The poll will last until I post chapter 3 (This is the prologue, I'm talking about the real chapter 3) although this may be subject to change. Thanks for all your help.**


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